LUCAS drones are positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility on Nov. 23, 2025. The aircraft are part of a one-way attack drone squadron CENTCOM recently deployed to the Middle East. (U.S. Central Command)
An American squadron made up of one-way attack drones designed to rival an infamous Iranian counterpart has been sent to the Middle East, U.S. Central Command said in a statement Wednesday.
It is part of Task Force Scorpion Strike, which was established in response to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s call earlier this year for rapid acquisition of affordable drone technology, the statement said.
The task force has already formed a squadron of LUCAS drones in the theater, CENTCOM said, adding that the effort is being led by personnel from Special Operations Command Central.
“This new task force sets the conditions for using innovation as a deterrent,” CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said in the statement. “Equipping our skilled warfighters faster with cutting-edge drone capabilities showcases U.S. military innovation and strength, which deters bad actors.”
The drones were designed by Arizona-based defense contractor SpektreWorks as a foil to Iran’s Shahed-136, which has been widely used by Tehran and its proxy militias, as well as by Russia in its ongoing war against Ukraine.
An Iranian drone was also responsible for an attack on a base in Jordan that killed three Army reservists in early 2024.
Earlier this year, the Air Force put out a call to the defense industry for one-to-one copies of a reverse-engineered Shahed drone to help inform the next generation of counter-drone technology.
LUCAS is an abbreviation for low-cost unmanned combat attack system. The drones have an extensive range and are designed to operate autonomously, CENTCOM said.
They can be launched using a variety of means, including catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, and mobile ground and vehicle systems.
The initial American formation includes nearly two dozen personnel from CENTCOM headquarters, component commands and industry partners, CENTCOM spokesperson Maj. Emma Thompson said in response to questions.
Announcement of the new squadron came hours after the Pentagon unveiled a multiyear, $1 billion initiative to acquire hundreds of thousands of low-cost, one-way attack drones.
That program envisions the rollout of purchase orders in four phases, with the first beginning in February 2026. By early 2028, the Pentagon hopes to have purchased about 300,000 of the drones.
